Plant Medicine and Garden Program Intensive Welcome to the Intensive!
The Calendar below outlines in detail the process we go through at each intensive.
Our NEXT Plant Medicine Alchemy Intensive time and day is TBD. Theme is Roots and Seeds. Roots of plants interface with the “brain,” and intelligence, and the Seed is the baby for next year’s growth when the time is right.
This page below is meant to be an example guide (of the Summer Intensive) through a four day process of relearning how to orient to ourselves and our world.
Day 1 Solstice or Equinox Thursday - Exploring the Pieces Midday- Gather St Johns Wort if Fall we would gather roots and barks and seeds – explore upper mountains of a Coastal area. Riparian rain forest. Meadow energy. Afternoon- Back to Garden in coastal Santa Cruz – sea level Rest and unpack Evening- 6pm Dinner and discussion/activities of Plant Medicine amongst the garden plants. Topics of the day:
Introduction to Plant Allies
Slowing down the internal dialogue – why it’s valuable
Observation of plants at waning light
Various plant extracts available for personal exploration in changes in consciousness
Introduction to actions, processes, and nutrition/nourishment from another perspective
Getting to know each other time – understanding “the container”
Day 2 Friday – Inner and Outer Todays agenda includes: (Times are loose)
Morning 8-9AM
energy and movement practice – learning and sticking with a daily practice
9-10AM
Herbal teas and discussion of when to harvest plants – timing
Discussion of soil, sunlight, water, how elements are recycled on the Earth
10:30AM
Late morning break for plant observation
11AM leave
River / creek area plant observation – watercress, nettles, horsetail, cat tails, angelica’s, horsechestnut trees, Elder Tree, Ginkgo tree, berries, insects
1PM
Lunch on ocean bluff – observing plants as soil managers
2-4PM
Beach plants, salty marsh plants, time near ocean
4ish
Afternoon break for nap or short practice
6PM
Garden tour and deeper intimacy with Earth and Plant cycles with Pot Luck dinner
Personal time to engage plants and journal
Dinner and afternoon power drinks include freshly picked plants
8-10PM
Evening program involves learning to “touch and be touched”
This involves first self-examination, then examination of the thing one is being intimate with, then letting go into the connection and how it feels – lots of options as to how this process will look
Evening teas and end of day highlights/takeaways
Day 3 Saturday – Playing with the Clay and Navigating Many Mansions in My Father’s House Topics:
Morning 8-9AM
energy and movement practice – learning to “read the signs”
9-10AM
Introduction to Plant Allies
Slowing down the internal dialogue – why it’s valuable
Stage II of self-examination from previous evening paired with morning discussion
11AM
Observation of plants
Various plant extracts available for personal exploration in changes in consciousness
1PM Lunch
Introduction to actions, processes, and nutrition/nourishment from another perspective. Gardening and the Elements, Earth’s Recycling of all elements – examples given
Plant form / morphology, and why it’s important
using taste, touch, smell, color, moisture – observing plant qualities and how they influence us
4PM
Seasonal influences
How to grow plants, soil to watering, to nutrients, to light, to watering, planters, pots, in earth
6-7PM Dinner
7-10PM
Getting to know each other time – understanding “the container”
Free time to discuss and ask questions
Day 4 Sunday – Gathering the Gold and Creation Topics:
Morning 8-9AM
energy and movement practice
Introduction to Plant Allies
Slowing down the internal dialogue – why it’s valuable
Stage II of self-examination from above
Observation of plants
Various plant extracts available for personal exploration in changes in consciousness
Introduction to actions, processes, and nutrition/nourishment from another perspective
Getting to know each other time – understanding “the container” – what’s it feel like now versus at start? What’s the same?
Plant form / morphology, and why it’s important <> compare with human qualities
using taste, touch, smell, color, moisture, observe plant qualities
Seasonal influences
How to grow plants, soil to watering, to nutrients, to light, to watering, planters, pots, in earth